Coutinho shines as five-star Liverpool rout Hull

Jurgen Klopp disproved his own words of warning as Liverpool crushed Hull City 5-1 at Anfield on Saturday to climb into the top four of the Premier League.

Klopp had written in his programme notes of the uniquely competitive nature of the Premier League, pointing out that there are no easy games in England’s top flight.

Liverpool’s manager also claimed that describing Hull as “just hard to beat” was doing them a disservice.

Hull won their first two league games and were unbeaten away from home in both the Premier League and the English Football League Cup, in which they are through to the last 16.

But both those theories were swiftly shot to pieces by a rampant Liverpool side, who scored three goals before half-time and could easily have doubled that tally.

Hull’s cause was not helped by the dismissal of Ahmed Elmohamady after half an hour as the defender blocked a shot from Philippe Coutinho on the line with his arm.

James Milner slotted home the resulting penalty to make it 2-0, but even before then Hull had never looked likely to end a record of never having won at Anfield.

Liverpool, playing in front of Anfield’s new Main Stand for only the second time, did as they pleased almost from the start as they made it an unhappy 54th birthday for Hull’s caretaker manager Mike Phelan.

Phelan is still to learn whether he will be appointed manager on a permanent basis.

But if the job should be made his, he will know he is in for a testing season, with Hull having now taken just one point from their last four league games.

Liverpool, on the contrary, are going from strength to strength. A third successive league win underlined their credentials as a side capable of sustaining a challenge at the top end of the table.

Karius league debut

Last season, before Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers as manager, they scored three goals in their opening six league games. This time round they have 16 at the same stage.

Coutinho should have given that tally an early boost, but saw his scuffed shot legitimately cleared off the line by Elmohamady.

It took just 17 minutes for the first goal to come, though, as Coutinho cleverly set up Adam Lallana to screw a mis-hit shot into the bottom corner.

Milner’s penalty re-affirmed Liverpool’s superiority and nine minutes before half-time it was 3-0.

Lallana turned smartly in the box to provide Sadio Mane with the chance to shoot low past David Marshall and claim his third goal of the season.

Mane also saw a deflected shot hit the bar, while Georginio Wijnaldum was twice denied by Marshall before Hull reached the sanctuary of half-time.

Arguably Klopp’s toughest call of the day had been to replace Simon Mignolet in goal with close-season signing Loris Karius following the German’s recovery from a broken hand.

Karius had virtually nothing to do on his league debut, but Liverpool are still to keep a clean sheet this season after Hull substitute David Meyler drove the ball home following a second-half corner.

If that was careless from Liverpool, the response was impressive as just 60 seconds later Coutinho strode forward to curl a trademark 25-yarder into the top corner for his third goal of the season.

Andrew Robertson then tripped substitute Daniel Sturridge to allow Milner to score his second penalty of a one-sided afternoon.

ETIM SORRY ABOUT YOUR TRAVAILS.IT IS OBVIOUS YOU HAVE MATURED AND LEARNT YOUR LESSON THOUGH LIKE UDUMEZUE TOLD YOU,YOU DID NOT NOT REACH YOUR PINNACLE.IF YOU ALSO HAD GONE TO FURTHER YOUR EDUCATION YOU WOULD HAVE INMPROVED YOUR QUALITY AND PERSONALITY MORE.I PRAY GOD ALMIGHTY GUIDE YOU TO SUCCEED WITH YOUR NEW DISPOSITION.AMEN

Chief Sam InegbenosunSamines

So Etim Esin, you won’t persuade your son to play for Nigeria and you want to contribute hugely in the development of football in Akwa Ibom. Whose children are fit to play for Nigeria? Oh you mean those born in Nigeria are the only potential players for Nigeria. Your son can play for France or Mali. I pity you so much for not listening to your best coach. You are now a human apparatus to be used in advising young footballers not to fall into your life style. For this alone you are still useful but it is too late to cry ……help me complete the sentence Mr Etim Esin bye.

thevoice

His son has a choice has he has many origin.

bail

@Chief Sam,
True talk love that, I live here in Europe and a qualified soccer coach I still belief no matter what my son or Daughter if lucky enough should be able to lace is boot for for Nigeria despite the fact of bein an European by birth.

Idongesit

I bet u man, i love your spirit and person. just keep being yourself and prayerful better things awaits you.

Johntina

Mr Man, you’d be making a big mistake by discarding Nigeria for your son on the grounds that he was born in France because the fact he was born in France cannot confer him any special right or anything close to citizenship, unless his Mother had French citizenship!
I’m sorry for spoiling your hopes, but your ignorance today, if not curbed could destroy your son tomorrow. If you go on making him feel that the mere fact that he was born in France has conferred on him any special status, you might just be misleading him, most dangerously!

lastp

i can understand where you coming from. But also understand that the guy was pretty young when he made all his mistakes. Though i did not agreed with him on the comment he made about his son. He also should not wait for government hands out. There is so much he can do. one of them is setting up a mini camp for young footballers twice a year.

tunji’Olatunji

Tell him the truth, He is arrogant and full of pride, You can never make people to notice you, people will naturally notice you if you are doing things right. Wake up man, don’t destroy your children the way you were.

bush dokta

Tunji, you hit the nail on the head brother! Etim esin needs to grow up! He’s so full of himself! Gosh!

CLUELESS

idiot

Foluso

God has already made you a pastor if you are born again. So start preaching the gospel! Thank God you have realized your mistakes.The young players should learn a lesson from Etim that pride goes before a fall.

FINBAR

I THINK WE ALL NEED TO LEARN FROM ETIM ESIN. IF YOU SAW ETIM PLAYED YOU WILL KNOW THAT THE COUNTRY MISSED A LOT. WE ALSO THANK GOD FOR THIS REMORSE AND PRAY THAT WE ALL LEARN FROM IT. FURTHERMORE, OKOCHA SHOULD MAKE A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO ETIM FOR THIS ACCUSATION AGAINST ETIM. I SAW THE TWO OF THEM PLAYED AND I CAN RIGHTLY TELL YOU THAT WHERE I NEED 10 OKOCHAS TO PLAY A MATCH 6 ETIM WILL EXCEL COMFORTABLY. ETIM IS A BETTER PLAYER. .SOME MAY NOT AGREE BUT WHAT KEPT OKOCHA IS JUST HIS COMPORTMENT.
I ALWAYS DREAM OF HAVING ETIM PLAY FOR FERGUSON; ETIM WOULD HAVE BEING ANOTHER ROONEY, CATONA AND OTHER STUBBORN GUYS. I THINK ETIM SHOULD BE MADE TO RUN A CONTINUOUS PROGRAM FOR OUR AGE CATEGORY NATIONAL TEAMS WHERE HE WILL BE MADE TO ADVISE THE TALENTED GUYS. THIS IS THE SAME THING MICHEAL SPINKS (THE FORMER WORLD HEAVY WEIGHT CHAMPION IS DOING). WE CAN LEARN FROM HIM AND MAKE ADEQUATE USE OF THE TALENT IN HIM. AM SURE HE IS STILL USEFUL TO THE COUNTRY AND NOT THIS LOCAL AKWA-IBOM JOB.
AM SO GLAD THAT ETIM HAS MATURED BY HIS POSITION IN THIS INTERVIEW. KINDLY FORGIVE OKOCHA AND LET YOUR SON DECIDE WHO HE WANT TO PLAY FOR. LET HIM NOT RUN AGAINST HIS DAD AS YOU DID- PLS NOT AN ABUSE- WISH YOU SUCCESS IN YOUR NEW ASSIGNMENTS AND GREETINGS TO YOUR WIFE. HAVE A NICE DAY ETIM MARADONA ESIN.

Mooney247

Etim learn humility

segzy

Etim or what did u call your name….you are having a big problem of arrogancy. you are too pampause and naturall uncomely. The way u approach this interview shows something is wrong with you. You must change for the better. thank God u did not make name more than this in Nigeria. Shame on you

babs

IT SEEMS WE ARE FAST ERODING THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, ETIM RESPECTS HIS CHILDS RIGHT AND COULD ONLY ADVICE HIS SON BASED ON THE PRESENT SITUATION IN OUR FOOTBALL HOUSE, PLS LET US CALL A SPADE A SPADE, HOW MANY OF US COULD STICK OUT OUR NECK FOR THE COUNTRY NIGERIA BEARING IN MIND THE WAY FOOTBALLOUR FOOTBALL IS BEEN MANAGED. TAKE SHOLA AMEOBI OF EVERTON CASE, WHY DID HE MAKE A U-TURN AT THE LAST MINUTE. PLS LETS MAKE OUR FOOTBALL HOUSE MORE ENCOURAGING!